One of the possibly least anticipated milestones your baby will hit is when he starts teething. We say least anticipated because parents often know the pain and discomfort it will bring to their baby, and they do not want their baby to undergo it. How does a parent know however when teething has begun?

The average baby cuts their first tooth anywhere between five and six months old. There are some however that will cut a tooth as early as two months, or as late as a year. Occasionally, some babies will only have two-four teeth until several months after their first birthday. There is not any rule as to when your baby should sprout teeth. Just like most other milestones, it is different in all babies.

There are many signs of teething in a baby. Your baby might become incredibly fussy and cry more all of a sudden. When it is teething related then the normal things that work on your baby like feeding, changing, bathing, and playing with him, will not work.

The excess production of drool is a telltale sign of teething. When you are getting soaked just holding your baby because they are slobbering so much, it is a good sign that teeth are coming in the next few months. It isn’t necessarily a sign that they are coming soon though. A baby could start drooling during their second month of life, but not actually have any teeth pop up till they are nine months old. When your baby starts drooling, be sure to keep a rag or towel near-by to dry you both off with.

Another sign that your baby is teething could be them pulling on their ears. Since the “ear, nose and throat” are all connected, teething can cause ear aches in babies, which can lead to crying and fussiness. Other signs of teething include:

• Swelling around the gums where tooth is about to break through
• Redness in creases around neck from the excess drool getting stuck
• Irritability
• Restlessness/Sleeplessness
• Sucking thumb/fingers
• Fussy feedings

There are things that can be done to help your baby feel a little more comfort however. Baby companies market heavily to parents when it comes to teething time. There are all sorts of toys that have chewable rubber pieces on them designs to let the baby gnaw at will. Some of the bigger toys like walkers and exersaucers also have attached toys with rubber ends for chewing.

There are teething rings that are either filled with water, or can be filled with water and stuck in the freezer for you to take out as needed. These are great to chew on for baby because they are cold and get soft as they thaw out. If you don’t have a lot of extra money to spend on chew toys, you can wet a wash cloth and stick it in the freezer. It is a soft, reusable and inexpensive way to help your baby with his teething pain.

There are also medications you should speak to your pediatrician about. There are gels that are created that are supposed to help numb the gums. There are specific formulas of these for both day and nighttime. Some pediatricians will also recommend giving your baby over the counter pain medicines.

Remember, teething is just another stage that your baby goes through. Hopefully you will be lucky and your baby will be one of the ones that isn’t bothered by it too much, but if not, keep in mind that it won’t last forever and that soon your happy baby will be back in your home.

Teething is something all babies unfortunately have to go through. In most babies it causes some level of pain, sometimes severe, sometimes just a little discomfort. The problem is that babies can not tell you how bad the pain is when they have it. What can you do to help soothe your baby’s pain and make him happy again?

Teething Rings
Be sure that you have a lot of teething rings handy. There are several different kinds out there. Some are liquid filled that you can put in the fridge to get cold; others are simply plastic that the baby can chew on. They even have rings that can be filled with water when you need it. They also come in all different sizes from very small to approximately 4″ in diameter. When your baby is little, try out the smaller teething rings so that he can easily grip them, gradually moving up to the larger ones as his hand gets bigger and grip gets stronger.

Teething Toys
Besides teething rings, there are several other toys that have been created to help your baby during his teething days. They have stuffed toys and animals that have hard rubber hands and feet that your baby can chew on. These normally have different patterns on each side, in order to simulate different types of massaging. These may come in different patterns and colors that will attract your baby, and they may also have rattles and other noise makers inside. There is no shortness of teething toys on the market for your baby.

Washcloths
Why a washcloth you might ask? Wash cloths can be easily moved even when frozen. Yes, frozen. Not only do they thaw out quickly, but they remain cold longer and feel good on your baby’s gums. They also will soak up some of the excess drool. To utilize this inexpensive idea you would get a clean wash cloth wet and stick it in the freezer. Once it is frozen enough for you just give it to your baby.

Gels
Many companies make gels to put on your baby’s gums. Gels come in many forms including those made for night time and those made for during the day. These gels are meant to temporarily numb your baby’s gums so that they do not hurt. Gel can be applied with either your finger or a q-tip. Speaking of q-tips, they now have on the market q-tips that are already filled with teething gel. These have a hard plastic rod with cotton on both ends. You break one end, sending the gel to the other end. You are then able to apply the gel with the q-tip immediately. While chances are your baby probably won’t like the taste at first, within seconds he will probably be happy and smiling once again.

Medicines
Check with your pediatrician at your next well-check to see if he recommends giving over the counter medication such as Tylenol and Motrin to your baby when he is teething. If so, ask him which one he thinks is best and what dosage you should give your baby.

Teething is not something that is fun for babies, and it probably won’t be fun for you either. Thankfully it only lasts a short time and most of the time you get a break between teeth. Doing the best you can to keep your baby comfortable and happy is all that you can do. Unfortunately this is one pain that you can not take on for the baby.